Bioremediation of Crude Oil Contaminated Soil Using Agricultural Wastes

Identification of total petroleum hydrocarbons and trace of heavy metals, namely; zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and cobalt (Co) in crude oil contaminated soil and effect of rice husk and chicken manure in bioremediation of contaminated soil were studied. Five soil samples each weighing 0.5kg was collected. Each sample was mixed with 50ml of crude oil (at 100ml/kg). Four samples were treated by adding 20g of chicken manure (CM), 20g rice husk (RH), 3:1 of 20g chicken manure/rice husk (CR_3:1) and 3:1 of 20g rice husk/chicken manure (RC_3:1). respectively while the fifth sample was left untreated (SO). Total petroleum hydrocarbon and trace of heavy metals were determined before treatment and after 6 weeks of treatment using Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, respectively. Infrared Spectrometer was used to monitor a weekly change in functional group absorbance of petroleum hydrocarbons. The results indicated that rice husk ultimately removed more petroleum hydrocarbons compared to chicken manure and their combinations. It was also found that the combination of rice husk and chicken manure (RC_3:1) reduced 75.8% of Co concentration, CR_3:1 reduced 89.6% of Zn concentration while CM reduced 65.5% of Cd concentration.